Don't ride a motorcycle just to look cool

One of my goals for 2012 was to learn how to ride a motorcycle.  A good buddy (and an experienced biker) emailed me some good advice.

Anon: It's a ton of fun, but it definitely requires a certain personality.  Just remember, there are two kinds of riders: those who've fallen, and those who will.

JLD: What type of personality does it require?

Anon: First, you have to really love riding a motorcycle.  You can't do it because of a perception that doing it is cool, or makes you cool, or whatever.  I say this not because I think this is your motive, I have no idea what your motive is, but because I had a friend who I always thought rode for the wrong reasons.  He wound up dying in a motorcycle accident, leaving a wife and kid.

Second, you have to be the type who will have an accident, and just get up, brush your self off, and get back on the bike.  Obviously the first reason is really important.  I've known a lot of people who have one accident and never ride again.  All the guys I know who've been riding for decades have had at least some accidents, and just shrug and get back on.

So if you're inclined to think you're not the Second type, you can probably save yourself the suffering.  If you think you might be the Second type, then it's worth a try, which is, of course, the only way you'll find out if you're the First type.

And there's nothing wrong with trying a motorcycle because you think it looks cool, or whatever, and then discovering that you love it.  I know guys like that also, and they've been riding for decades.

Motive is really important, because like a lot of things, you can't be good at it if you don't love it.  And successful (safe) motorcycle riding requires a great deal of care and attention.  You're unlikely to give it the care that it demands if you're just riding because of what you think it will say to other people.  Which is the reason I thought my deceased friend was riding... He rode to impress his father who loved to ride, and to impress people who were saw him riding, IMHO.

Comments

Another biker here. It is

Submitted by Txomin on Fri, 01/20/2012 - 02:54.

Another biker here. It is also said that there are 3 rules to riding a motorcycle: 1. Everybody falls.2. Everybody falls.3. Know your limits. Enjoy and thanks for the blog. 

Why does every person who

Submitted by marcopolo on Sat, 03/03/2012 - 01:54.

Why does every person who discusses the zen of riding have to mention that they know someone who got killed? I'm really sick of it.It seems everytime I tell someone I ride a bike they have to tell about a story of someone who got hurt or killed. Look bloggers I know it's a risk.I ride because I love it.It makes me feel so alive but of course in the back of my mind I always know. Thats why I have 100 % concentration and live in the moment when I'm on the bike which is part of the attraction isn't it?

cool, thanks

Submitted by John on Fri, 01/20/2012 - 13:43.

cool, thanks

 I wouild like to add.  I

Submitted by Sam on Wed, 01/18/2012 - 13:08.

 I wouild like to add.  I haven't crashed yet... but the only time that I've ever had an issue in traffic was when I wasn't paying attention.

good to know, thanks

Submitted by John on Wed, 01/18/2012 - 14:19.

good to know, thanks

I've been riding for 6 years

Submitted by leoncaruthers on Wed, 01/18/2012 - 11:24.

I've been riding for 6 years now, and I agree with all of the above.Had my first accident after two weeks of riding.  I lucked out and just cracked some ribs and skinned a knee on a low-speed fall.  My head bounced off the pavement, but I didn't even notice at the time, so my helmet did it's job.  I was being careless, and I paid a very low price given how bad it could have been.I'm a lot more careful now.  I do think about selling it now and then, but only because it makes carrying a fair bit of kit and cargo difficult.

good to know, thanks for

Submitted by John on Wed, 01/18/2012 - 14:18.

good to know, thanks for sharing

Ahem.  You know we call them

Submitted by lisa on Wed, 01/18/2012 - 02:59.

Ahem.  You know we call them Donorcycles for a reason.  There is not much way around the fact that motorcycles and dirt bikes are deadly.  Get your thrills somewhere less likely to turn your brain to jello

And please, PLEASE, take a

Submitted by briderdt on Tue, 01/17/2012 - 23:04.

And please, PLEASE, take a professionally run MSF class. The statistics on people who "learn from friends" is dismal. The classes are cheap, will often get your license endorsement without having to take the DMV test, will likely decrease your insurance costs, and may just save your ass some day. And if you take the class and find out that, hey, motorcycles just aren't for you, then you've figured that out without having to shell out a few grand for something you'll either leave sitting in the garage or take a huge $$ hit trying to turn around and re-sell (or worse). And the bonus? For most of the beginner classes, you get to use THEIR bikes.

yeah, that's what I plan on

Submitted by John on Wed, 01/18/2012 - 01:37.

yeah, that's what I plan on doing.

So does this advise change

Submitted by Dave on Tue, 01/17/2012 - 21:33.

So does this advise change your willingness to learn how to ride?

I'll take a course and see

Submitted by John on Wed, 01/18/2012 - 01:39.

I'll take a course and see how much I like to ride. I'm also going to eventually learn on dirt bikes in rural areas...not NYC. And see how that goes.

 Awesome.  Your initial post

Submitted by Dave on Wed, 01/18/2012 - 12:50.

 Awesome.  Your initial post last week inspired me to also sign up for a course -- as learning to ride has been one of my goals for this year, too.I ended up signing up for a Rider's Edge course -- which is the Harley Davidson sponsored curriculum that includes 25 hours of (MFS) instruction.  It's spread of over (5) days and includes both in-classroom training and on the course.I'll let you know how it goes (if I survive!)

nice! be safe.

Submitted by John on Wed, 01/18/2012 - 14:13.

nice! be safe.

 Just saw this on facebook a

Submitted by hm on Tue, 01/17/2012 - 18:59.

 Just saw this on facebook a little while ago. Primal nutrition + motorcycling = totally awesome.

wow, that is awesome and

Submitted by John on Tue, 01/17/2012 - 20:35.

wow, that is awesome and hilarious. thanks for the link

Plus, a motorcycle lets you

Submitted by Gabriel Syme on Tue, 01/17/2012 - 17:57.

Plus, a motorcycle lets you show ladies that you're bolth Alpha (because it's badass) and Beta (knowing your limits and staying safe).

i agree that calculated and

Submitted by John on Tue, 01/17/2012 - 20:33.

i agree that calculated and controlled risk-taking is the sweet spot of alpha + beta, but I don't actually think women (or men, for that matter) appreciate the beta / control aspect of riding a motorcycle.

John, if you survive your

Submitted by Gabriel Syme on Wed, 01/18/2012 - 12:07.

John, if you survive your Alpha badassery to, ahem, reproduce, they are most certainly appreciating the Beta aspect, whether or not they know it.

fair enough

Submitted by John on Wed, 01/18/2012 - 14:17.

fair enough